


Cloudy Days

by afewmistakesago



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Future Fic, Happy Ending, angst then fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-06-23
Packaged: 2018-11-17 14:02:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11276769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afewmistakesago/pseuds/afewmistakesago
Summary: From a tumblr prompt: "I thought I was pregnant, but the test must have been wrong. I'm not."





	Cloudy Days

He should have known something was wrong from the pitying look the doctor’s receptionist gave him with his directions to Belle’s room at the hospital. It was her first visit for her new pregnancy, and Rumple was running late to the appointment. 

He’d dropped off Gideon at Snow White’s for a play date with Neal, and Snow had yammered onto him about the state of her garden. If he hadn’t taken to the side of good and right, he would have turned her into a bug or poofed away mid-sentence. Instead, like a good neighbor, he impatiently tapped his foot until she was done and accepted her offer of homegrown vegetables.

He knocked quickly, stepping into the tiny room, and he sensed that things were off right away. Belle was seated on the examination table, hands in her lap, looking down, and he could tell she was crying. “Belle?” he asked, and she looked up, sniffling sharply. "I'm sorry I'm late, sweetheart, what did I miss?"

“Rumple,” she said, before a sob left her lips, reaching for a tissue from the table next to her and wiping her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, standing in front of her. “Is something wrong with the baby?”

She let out a shaky breath. “There’s no baby.”

He shook his head, staring at her with confusion. “Sweetheart, I saw the positive test.”

“I know,” she said, a heartbreakingly sad smile on her face. “Dr. Locks said it was a false positive. The test I took must have been wrong. I’m not pregnant. They gave me a moment to collect myself before I go.”

“Oh,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “I’m sorry, Belle. I’m so sorry.”

He felt her cry onto his shoulder. He was shaken, but trying not to show it, trying to be brave for her, but he was dejected, feeling an ache in his chest. He wished this was something magic could fix, but it just... wasn't. Belle had talked about having a second baby since Gideon turned two, and they began trying to get pregnant. Gideon was turning four next month, and Belle had been so relieved when the test had finally been positive. She hadn’t stopped beaming since, and this doctor’s appointment was supposed to confirm the pregnancy and get them set in the right direction for the next nine months. “It could still happen, Belle,” he said into her hair. “We can keep trying.”

Belle shook her head, breaking from his embrace looking up at him from red-rimmed eyes. “Maybe this means it just isn’t going to happen, Rumple. I was so hopeful, and I feel like I was just kicked in the stomach.”

“Don’t say that,” he said, hating the look on her face, her previous joy drained and forgotten. She had gone into the empty bedroom in their home yesterday, airily discussing measurements of the room with him and trying to remember the things they had saved from Gideon's baby days in the attic. He remembered the dreamy look in her eye as she bit her lip, musing about the differences between sons and daughters, though she wouldn't complain if she had two boys, but wouldn't it be nice to have a girl? All that mattered was that the child was healthy, but now it seemed there had never been a child at all.

“I got too excited too quickly, it's my fault for being as upset as I am. I should have waited for the doctor's confirmation before even thinking about it," Belle said, burying her head in her hands. "I’m just getting older. I should be content with Gideon. I just wanted another baby, a chance at a real pregnancy, but…” she trailed off, shrugging.

He motioned for her to scooch over, and she did. Rumple sat next to her on the examination table, hardly big enough for two, but they managed to fit. He put his arm around her, and she leaned her head into his shoulder. “Do you think we should keep trying?” she asked, and he kissed her temple.

“I think we should do whatever you want to do next," Rumple replied, and he meant it. If she wanted to keep trying, he'd keep trying, but if she decided Gideon was enough for them, he would agree with that, as well. He would tremendously love any child they had together, be it Gideon or their son and any future children to come. 

“Dr. Locks said there’s some different methods of getting pregnant. I know we ignored them the first time she suggested it, because I thought it would be easier the natural way, but… maybe it’s time to give it a look. The pamphlets are already in my purse,” Belle said, and he sensed something other than despair in his voice. She was hopeful yet again. Belle always bounced back with her resounding belief in the goodness of life.

“We weren’t exactly planning on getting pregnant with Gideon, so I can see why we thought the second go would be easier,” he said, remembering her tumultuous first pregnancy and feeling the guilt he always did when it was discussed.  “We can look at the pamphlets together.”

She smiled up at him, finally a real one. “How did I get such a wonderful and understanding husband?”

“I haven’t always been like that,” he said, and his wife rolled her eyes.

“Hush,” Belle said. “Now, Snow’s got Gideon for the whole afternoon, right?”

“Yes,” he said, standing up and taking her hand to help her off the exam table. “We _could_ just try the old-fashioned way again for a sibling when we get home, if we wanted to. Nobody will be yelling at us about Legos or dragons or knights.”

He winked at her, and Belle laughed. “Buy me lunch first, and I’ll think about it.”


End file.
